A very warm welcome to you all to our service today as we begin a new year. I wish you all
a very happy new year and may we know the Lord's blessing and his peace and his help in the days
! His faithfulness has been towards us and we give thanks for that and we thank him for his faithfulness
and his mercies that are new each day and so may we know that loving grace he shows towards us continually.
After the service this morning there's tea and coffee served in the hall so everybody's very
welcome to come through for that if you're able to and then we have the no other notes it's just
never just the usual services at the weekend as well there'll be the Gaelic prayer meeting tomorrow
evening there's no prayer meeting this evening but there will be the Gaelic prayer meeting tomorrow
evening. Well we're going to worship by singing to God's praise we're going to sing in Psalm 100
the first version of the psalm the tune is old 100 page 362 of the psalm books Psalm 100 the Scottish
Psalter version the theme of our worship today is indeed worship set in the Lord before us at the
beginning of a new year and this psalm speaks about the nations of the world declaring the glory of God
coming to worship him all people that on earth do dwell sing to the Lord with cheerful voice
himself with mirth his praise forth tell come ye before him and rejoice we'll sing the whole of the
psalm to God's praise
all people that on earth do dwell sing to the Lord with cheerful voice
praise him and rejoice we'll sing the whole of the psalm to God's praise and the Lord with
the Lord with cheerful voice we'll sing the whole of the psalm to God's praise and the Lord with
singing the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of singing of the singing of singing of singing of singing the singing of singing of singing of singing of singing the singing of singing of singing of singing singing of singing of singing singing of singing singing of singing singing of singing singing of singing singing of singing singing of singing singing of singing singing of singing singing singing of singing singing of singing singing singing singing of singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing
For like the Lord our God is good
His mercy is forever sure
His truth at all times firmly stood
And shall come each truly to endure
Let's unite our hearts in prayer. Let us pray.
Our Father in heaven we gather in your name today at the beginning of a new year
thankful for these words that we have sung
they remind us that we are not alone in this world
but that we join in with a chorus of your people
that nations of the world as a new year has begun
although many have begun in celebrations that seem to have no thought of you
we thank you that you have your people to all ends of the earth
who have brought in a new year
with a sense of adoration of who you are
a sense of praise and worship towards you
setting a new year that is before us Lord into your hands
and that you would be the one who we begin looking to
and the one who goes before us in it
the one who knows the beginning and the end
as we have been reminded of your word recently
you are the alpha and the omega the beginning and the end of all things
and we do praise your name oh Lord and thankful that we can come to you
and sing to you with a cheerful voice and serve you with all our hearts
the psalmist asks the question why
why should we praise you in all of these ways
and the psalm says the Lord our God is good
his mercy is forever sure
whose truth at all times firmly stood
and shall from age to age endure
and as we oh Lord see all that's ahead of us
with so much uncertainty
we thank you Lord that your truth is with us
that you are with us
that you are the one who has endured through all generations
and the one whose truth endures to us today
and going forward as well
and we thank you that your truth is light to us
that it sheds light on our paths
and shows us the ways to go
that you direct us by your word and by your spirit
and we do pray to know that oh Lord
as we go into all that lies ahead of us
that we would know your light with us
that we would know your mercy with us day by day
and we do just praise you this day Lord
that you are one who hears us
that one who is with us
one who hears our cries
who hears our prayers
who hears our groans
who hears all that comes to our lips
and even into our hearts
and yet you remember us Lord in mercy
and so we do praise your name this day
help us that our hearts will be filled with worship
and praise of you
not just for this day but in all the days ahead
Lord we know that even as we begin a new year
we are so often reminded that there are these highs and lows
in our experience that are prepared by you
and known unto you even at this point
there's nothing hidden from you
and Lord as we do seek good upon us
we do seek it for all around us
for all the people of this world
here in our own community Lord
we do pray that as we look back and reflect over a year gone by
as we do so Lord
with much to give thanks for
and much thanks for your grace in every circumstance
we do look ahead as well Lord
asking that your blessing
your peace would be over us as a people
and we see so much going on around us
that seeks to take away from you and your cause
we think of our Lord's day
and how we treat it
and how it's treated by others
we do pray that you will guard it in our communities
and help us to honour you
on that day and every day
that all that we would do would be
for your glory and for your good
teach us Lord that we need you
in every way
teach us Lord that whatever we do
whether we eat or drink
it is to be to your glory
and we thank you that you have given so much
that we should give thanks for
even the simple things in life
even the air that we breathe
and the food that we enjoy
the fellowship that we have with one another
the family and friends that we have around us
the work opportunities
the homes
our communities as a whole Lord
there are so many things that we do take for granted
and we just thank you Lord
for every day we have to enjoy these things
and so may our weeks be filled
with praise and delight in you
may our weeks and our months
that lie before us Lord
be times when we see
in the midst of the changing seasons
of nature as we go through winter
as we see the darkness
the gales
the anxieties that they bring
may we see the spring that reminds us
of a new growth
a newness of life
reminding us Lord that you are the one
who is able to take from darkness into light
and that you are the one
who is able to give life
even in the midst of
such difficult times
and we thank you that your gospel
is what gives life
and we pray that
all the seed that has been sown
of the gospel over many years
here and throughout our lands
that it would bear much fruit in our midst
we do pray Lord
that we would see
great summer seasons of harvest
that we would see times of
great growth and delighting in you
and that we would see a great harvest coming
of people coming to know the Lord Jesus Christ
we thank you that the world in which we live
reminds us of the changing seasons
in nature but also
the seasons that we experience in our lives
and even in our church experience too
but yet we thank you that you are the one
who is building his church
and may you oh Lord build
throughout our communities
and throughout our land
throughout the world
may your kingdom come in power
Lord we do remember so many
with different needs today
we know that
there are those who rejoice in you
and those who are sorrowing in you as well
we know a new year Lord brings times of reflection
times of remembrance
times of thanksgiving
and times of mourning
and we do pray Lord
for even those who are coming into the new year
in the midst of loss and grief
in their own experience
and do pray comfort and help
and strength towards them
pray for those who are unwell
and those who have family members
who they are concerned for
Lord we just commit each one to you
thankful for the services
that are provided to us
in our health care
in our homes
even with family around us Lord
to support us in times of need
we do pray Lord
blessing and peace
towards those in these times of need
we do pray Lord
for today's of rejoicing as well
that we would be glad in you
and give thanks to you
as we have so often in the past
when we've seen
even as we think of our own congregation here
new members
and even this past year
as we think of
seeing people coming to church
and coming under your word
in different ways
whether it's in services here
or on the Friday at the Free
the 55 plus
the work among our young people
we thank you for every opportunity
we have to serve you
and we just pray blessing
upon all of these things
that we would see
a stirring up in the gospel
a telling of
your goodness and mercy
to those who we come into contact with
that the nations and peoples
would hear
of the wonder of God
of the wonder of salvation
in Christ Jesus as Lord
and we pray that you will help us
as a people
as a congregation here
to be salt and light for you
to be a people
who worship you
first and foremost
but also then
a reminder of the mission
of the church
to reach out
to those who are
in darkness
we would bring that gospel hope
into the midst of
all our people
and to all ends of the earth
we do remember
oh Lord
your people
far and wide today
your church
near and far
asking that your blessing
and the light of the gospel
would shine brightly
in the midst of our world
Lord we do commit
ourselves
into your hands
now that you would be with us
in our worship
in the singing of your praise
in the reading of your word
and in all that we do
this day
and in all our days
may it be to your glory
hear our prayers
Lord
and go before us now
pardoning us
in all our sin
that's all we ask
we ask in Jesus name
Amen
so again
sing to God's praise
we're going to sing
in Psalm 145
and sing Psalm's version
page 189
Psalm 145
we're going to sing
from verse 1
to verse 9
the tune is
even tied
I will exalt you
O my God and King
forever I will praise
your holy name
I will extol your name
forevermore
day after day
your praise
I will proclaim
we sing from verse 1
to verse 9
to God's praise
we stand to sing
Amen
I will exalt you
O my God and King
forever I will
praise your holy name
I will extol your name
forevermore
day after day
your praise
I will proclaim
great is the Lord
most worthy of all praise
great is the Lord
his greatest love
can search or comprehend
the Lord
and the Lord
each generation
will recapture
your deeds
and to the next
your mighty
ask
Amen
praise the splendor
of your majesty
the power of the works
that you have done
I too
will meditate
upon
your deeds
and
your majestic
acts
I will
ignore
the Lord
will
make known
they will
rejoice
Savior
may
obey
and
your
abundant
grace
will celebrate
the
righteousness
that
will
be
the
righteousness
that
you have
shown
to them
in
grace
and
for
some
they
will
release
the
Lord
is
gracious
and
compassionate
he
his
soul
to
anger
rich
in
steadfast
love
the
Lord
is
good
to
all
that
he
has
made
and
merciful
to
all
on
earth
that
you
we're going
to turn to read the word of God together now we're reading in the book of Psalms
!
Psalm 96
Psalm
Psalm 96
you'll find it around page 599 of the church Bibles
Psalm 96
we can sing the whole
of
not sing
read the whole of this psalm
Oh sing to the Lord a new song sing to the Lord all the earth sing to the Lord bless his name tell of his salvation from day to day declare his glory among the nations his marvelous works among all the peoples for great is the
Lord and greatly to be praised
he is to be feared above all gods for all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols but the Lord made the heavens splendor and majesty are before him strength and beauty are in his sanctuary ascribe to the Lord oh families of the peoples ascribe to the Lord glory and strength ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name bring an offering and come into his name bring an offering and come into his name so
Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name.
Bring an offering and come into his courts.
Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.
Tremble before him all the earth.
Say among the nations, the Lord reigns.
Yes, the world is established.
It shall never be moved.
He will judge the peoples with equity.
Let the heavens be glad and let the earth rejoice.
Let the sea roar and all that fills it.
Let the field exult and everything in it.
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy.
Before the Lord, for he comes.
For he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness.
And the peoples in his faithfulness.
Amen.
And may the Lord add his blessing to that reading of his word.
Before we come back to look at this psalm together, we're going to sing another psalm.
Psalm 98.
The Scottish Psalter version.
Page 360 of the psalm books.
Psalm 98.
We'll sing from verse 1 to verse 4.
The tune is Argyle.
O sing a new song to the Lord for wonders he hath done.
His right hand and his holy arm him victory have won.
The Lord God, his salvation has caused to be known.
His justice in the heathen sight he openly hath shown.
We'll sing from verse 1 to 4.
We stand to sing to God's praise.
Amen.
O sing a new song to the Lord, our wonders he hath done.
His right and land, his holy ark, in victory he hath won.
The Lord God, his salvation hath caused it to be done.
His justice in the heaven's sight, he openly hath shown.
He bind for all his grace and truth to Israel's touch hath been.
And the salvation of our God, all ends of the earth have seen.
Let all the earth come to the Lord, send forth the joyful noise.
Lift up your voice, bow out to him, sing praises and rejoice.
We can turn back to our reading in Psalm 96.
I'm just going to look at this psalm for a short time together this afternoon as we come with the theme of worshiping God.
We read at the beginning of the psalm,
Sing to the Lord a new song, sing to the Lord all the earth.
Sing to the Lord, bless his name.
Tell of his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the nations.
Then down at verse 10, verse 9 says,
Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.
Tremble before him all the earth.
Say among the nations, the Lord reigns.
There's so much in this psalm that just gives us a focus as we begin a new year.
Because as we begin a new year, we often have that sense of examining our lives,
looking around us, looking within us, and just asking certain questions about what is our main goal even for this coming year.
What's your main goal for 2025?
Is it to please yourself?
Is it to find things in life that bring you joy and happiness that you find in yourself or in things around you?
Or is your main goal in 2025, as we begin a new year,
to have the Lord set before you and to be looking to him and to please him?
Our chief end, as we so often read in the Shorter Catechism, the first question,
our chief end is to glorify God, to give glory to him and to enjoy him forever.
And we find that when that is our chief end, when that is our chief goal in life,
that everything else seems to fall into place, everything else seems to come together.
And so it's good for us as we begin a new year to begin it with that focus of worship and of praise to God.
Worship is key.
William Temple was once Archbishop of Canterbury,
and he gave a definition of worship as this,
as the quickening the conscience by the holiness of God,
feeding the mind with the truth of God,
purging the imagination by the beauty of God,
opening the heart to the love of God,
and devoting the will to the purpose of God.
It's all-encompassing when it comes to worship.
It's not just a little part of our lives.
It's not just a part of our lives for a certain day of the week or a time of year.
Worship is all-encompassing.
Everything that we do should have that aim of being worship to God.
And part of our worship is, of course, coming to him in praise,
coming to him in song.
And the psalms that we've been singing together already today,
they are psalms with that focus of a song of praise being offered up to God.
And the psalm often gives us reasons to worship God.
And that's going to be our focus together just now as we think of worship.
We hear the call of worship in this psalm,
and we see the cause of worship in this psalm.
And to bring these two things together to help us to have that goal,
that focus for the year ahead,
to have that call to always be a people who worship God,
and to have the cause that we see the reason to worship God.
And what that reason brings to us then is a desire for others
to know the wonders of God.
Bringing in a new year so often is a place where song and music takes part of it.
I'm sure many of you, maybe yesterday or even today,
have listened to certain songs or have heard songs being sung,
whether it's in Gaelic or in English.
Which so often the new year is brought in in that way,
with song to the forefront.
And there's a sense of it being uplifting,
and a sense of joy in the midst of it.
But it doesn't always have to be a happy song.
Sometimes, whether it's in Gaelic or English,
we hear many songs that are full of emotion,
that are sadness and sorrows.
Experiences that people have gone through,
and stories that are told through song
that sometimes bring tears to our eyes.
Other times, it's more uplifting songs,
songs that fill us with a sense of joy.
But isn't it good for us to bring in a new year,
not just focused on the songs of this world,
but the songs of God,
and the praise of God.
And every worship service we have,
every time we come to worship God,
there is song in our hearts.
We come to praise God.
We come to worship God in that sense of song and joy to the Lord.
Because if anyone has reason for praise,
if anyone has reason to sing,
it is the Christian.
It is the songs of rejoicing in the goodness of God to us.
And as we look at the Psalms,
not just the one before us,
but as you go through the book of Psalms,
you find that the Psalms themselves reflect the experience
that we go through in life.
They are not just songs that are filled with joy and laughter.
There is that in them.
There are times of great delight in the Lord,
and we thank Him for that.
But there are songs, too,
that have the reality of life,
the struggles in life.
We have songs of lament,
as they're called in the Psalms,
the Psalms of lament,
that give us a focus when times are difficult,
and yet we can still sing to the Lord.
But there are times when we just sing
of the wonder, the steadfast love of God,
the mercies of God,
the wonders of God.
We've sung in each of the Psalms that we've had today,
we've sung of that,
and we see it in this Psalm before us as well,
Psalm 96.
It is a Psalm that just brings us to see the wonder of God.
But the context of Psalm 96
isn't just standing alone in that sense of
it's just about joy in the Lord.
It's closely connected to the Psalm that comes before it,
Psalm 95.
They're like two Psalms that just come together.
And if you read through Psalm 95,
you see that it's the focus there in this outset
is song as well.
O come, let us sing to the Lord.
Let us make a joyful noise
to the rock of our salvation.
So there is song in that one,
but it's in a slightly different setting.
Psalm 94 shows almost a time of singing
in the rejection of God
in the midst of looking back
in the experience of God's people.
You go to the end of the Psalm,
you see that speaking about the wilderness years,
the wandering through the wilderness for 40 years,
the rejection of God.
And so you see that there is rejection in that Psalm.
And 96 then is almost like a missional Psalm,
where it's calling people back to God.
And in both these experiences, there's song.
There's a reminder to come to the Lord in song in Psalm 95,
when we're drifting away from him,
because it gives us that focus.
And perhaps at the end of 2024,
maybe for some people,
it was a sense of drifting away from God
or difficult experiences,
and yet we're called to come to God in song.
And then coming into a new year,
it may still be difficult.
There may still be many trials that we have,
but we can set the Lord before us
with that sense of a mission focus
and a worship focus.
What's more important for us in 2025?
Mission or worship?
It's not a trick question.
It's maybe a question,
is there a right answer?
Do they not both go together?
But there has to be an order of these things.
Is mission or worship that's more important for us
going into 2025?
Well, John Piper, the American preacher,
he said this,
missions is not the ultimate goal of the church.
Worship is.
Missions exist because worship doesn't.
The goal of missions
is the gladness of the peoples
in the greatness of God.
Mission exists because worship doesn't.
And so therefore,
we begin with worship.
We worship the Lord.
And then from that worship comes that sense of mission
because we realize that the world in which we live,
not all people,
not all nations worship God.
And so then their mission is
to make known the wonders of God to others.
So we are to be worshipers first and foremost.
People who acknowledge our dependence on God
and who seek his favor,
seek his blessings upon us
and come to rejoice in him.
And then we say to others,
come and behold the wonders of our God.
And so let's begin 2025 with a focus on this psalm.
And we're going to look at it just under these two headings,
the call to worship and the cause of worship.
And so the first thing we see here
is the call to worship.
It's no surprise to us
when Psalm 96,
among many other psalms,
begin with these words,
O sing to the Lord a new song.
O sing to the Lord.
The psalms were songs that were to be sung.
They are songs that are to be sung.
Songs of praise to God.
As we mentioned before,
there are many experiences in this world.
We see it at New Year
when people begin a new year with song,
singing.
There are certain songs that are always sung
at this time.
O lang syne is one.
And you hear it just comes part of New Year.
And people will begin a new year
singing these certain songs.
But what a difference it is
is to sing a song to the Lord.
To sing of the goodness and mercy of God.
To begin a year looking to Him.
Whether the difference is,
the focus is not on ourselves
or on our circumstances at all times,
but on the Lord.
To worship the Lord first and foremost.
And the opening of this psalm,
Psalm 96,
has that focus for us.
Sing to the Lord.
And you see,
sing to the Lord is mentioned
three times in verse 1 and 2.
Sing to the Lord is there before us.
And there's nothing stale,
there's nothing lilteless in this thing.
It's a sense of lifting up our voices to God,
recognizing who He is.
That we can praise Him.
And it's the first thing that we see here
is sing to the Lord a new song.
It doesn't necessarily mean
a newly composed song.
But just a reminder to us
of the new song that the Lord gives to us.
The way He changes our tune, as it were.
The way He gives us something to sing
in sense of praise to Him.
That His newness is there for us each day.
His marshes are new each day.
You know, as we begin a new year just now,
it's not just singing a song
that we've sung a hundred, a thousand,
a million times in the past.
It doesn't matter how many times you've sung it,
there's still a sense of newness to it.
Sing to the Lord a new song
because our circumstances are new.
Our day is new.
Our year is new.
There is a newness in this song
that it doesn't lose its appetite.
It doesn't lose its sense of joy and wonder.
But when we're singing to the Lord,
there's that sense that it's new every time.
Because we thank Him for each new day.
We thank Him for each new year.
We thank Him for each moment of grace
that He gives to us.
Similar to Psalm 40
that speaks of how He puts a new song
in our mouth,
a song of praise to God.
It is the Lord
that gives us that reason to sing,
that new song
that we are able to sing to Him.
And so today,
it's not an old song we're going back to.
It's one that's fresh
and one that's new for us today
because we sing it anew.
We sing it together.
And maybe for some,
it's singing with a new sense of delight,
a new sense of joy,
a new sense of thanksgiving,
that the Lord opens our eyes
to see how precious He is.
Sing to the Lord a new song.
Remember when the Lord was working
in my own life,
how the singing of His praise
started to have a new voice to me,
something that was new in it.
And it was a strange place
maybe to experience it,
but it was standing outside
the meeting house in Tolstachilish.
It was at a wake
on a summer's night.
And there were so many
in attendance at the wake.
It's not a big meeting house
that some were standing outside.
And I was one of those
who was standing outside.
The Lord was maybe starting
to stir in my heart,
but I had no interest going there
that I was there to praise God
or to listen to His praise,
standing outside just talking to others.
But when the worship started,
when the singing started,
and it was coming out of the building,
the door was open,
and it was a glorious,
still summer's evening,
and the wonder of that praise
just spoke.
That there was something
in these words,
something in this singing
that wasn't natural.
There was a power behind it.
There was a newness in it.
And that's the new song
that the Lord so often brings to us.
When He starts to open our ears
to hear the wonder of who He is,
the new song that He is able to give us.
And wouldn't it be wonderful
if for all of us,
in a sense,
that new beginning this year
would be with a new song,
the Lord speaking to us
in that powerful way.
The second thing we see here,
the second singing is,
sing to the Lord all the earth.
That there is a song for everyone.
There is a song that leaves nobody out.
It's a song here of the praise of God
that is for the whole of the world.
There is no one who is not worthy
to praise God.
There is no one who is unworthy
of coming to sing praise to God.
There is no circumstance
that we find ourselves in
where God cannot be praised.
to sing all the earth
is for everyone
and in every experience.
We sing a new song
because of the song
that Christ gives to us
in our hearts.
When we recognize
who our Savior is,
when we realize
what has been done for us
through Jesus Christ,
for the whole world.
For God so loved the world
that he gave his only Son.
There is an opportunity
for all to praise God.
That while we have this day,
while we have this moment,
as you go back to Psalm 95
and the end of verse 7,
today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts
as at Meribah.
Do not harden your hearts
as those who did in the past,
but today, hear his voice.
Today, sing to the Lord
all the earth.
There is a song here
for everyone.
Like I say,
in every circumstance.
One of my favorite psalms
is Psalm 73.
It's a psalm you can go to
because you see there
the honesty of the psalmist.
When there is trouble
all around him,
he's not afraid
to come to God
with that trouble,
and yet he sees himself
as a beast, as it were,
before the Lord.
He's angry almost
towards him,
and yet there's this
turning point in the psalm
in verse 23,
Psalm 73,
verse 23,
where he says,
Nevertheless,
I am continually
with you.
You hold me
by my right hand.
You guide me.
And then you see
the longing
in the psalms,
Whom have I in the heavens?
But you, O Lord,
alone.
So there is this wonder
of a song
for everyone.
Everyone of us,
whether we're sitting in here,
whether we're tuning in online,
the Lord is there
to be praised
and to be sung about
all the earth.
Then you see
there's the third,
Sing to the Lord,
in verse 2 there.
Sing to the Lord,
bless his name,
tell of his salvation
from day to day.
There is so much
to sing about.
And this is not just
for one day,
it's every day.
Sing of his salvation
from day to day.
We can begin
every new day
rejoicing in the salvation
that God gives.
As we have that focus,
we have that call
to worship,
we see we are a people
who are to praise.
When we come
into the presence of God,
when we come
to worship him,
we see
all that we have
through God.
His salvation
is there
before us all.
Even today,
as we begin
a new year,
just with that sense
of focus,
not on ourselves,
but on the Lord.
The Lord
and the salvation
that he has given
for his people.
The salvation
that there is
in Christ
alone.
so we can begin
by praising
him.
We have
a call
to worship.
Psalm 96,
in some ways
you could call it
a golden oldie.
It's one we can
go to again
and again.
But still today,
it's a new song.
It's a new song
for us
to come
and praise him.
It's a call
for us
to worship him
as we begin
a new year.
As we set
the year ahead
before us,
we begin
with a call
to worship.
The second thing
we see here
in this psalm
is the cause
of worship.
The natural
question
that comes
from
a call
to worship
as we are
asked to come
and worship
God
is
why?
Why
should we
worship God?
Psalm 73
gave us
part of that
answer.
Nevertheless,
continually,
O Lord,
I am with thee.
You're the one
who holds me
by my right hand.
And there
is a reason,
a cause
for worship.
And so,
so often
in the psalms
you find
not just
a call
to worship,
but the psalms
they give us
the cause
of worship.
You see that
in the psalms
that we've sung
already today.
There's that sense
of coming
before the Lord
with great joy
and worship
and praise
to him.
But you see it
in Psalm 95
there,
verse 3.
there's a call
to come
and worship
God.
But then
verse 3 is
for the Lord
is a great
God
and a great
king
above
all gods.
There is
cause
to worship.
And we see
the same
here in
Psalm 96
as well.
Declare his
glory among
the nations,
his marvelous
works among
all the peoples.
For great
is the Lord
and greatly
to be praised.
He is to be
feared
above
all gods.
Splendor
and majesty
are before him.
Strength
and beauty
are in his
sanctuary.
There is
cause
to worship
God.
And so
if we ask
the question
come
and worship
God
and the people
ask why
even as they
did in the
day of the
psalmist
even as they
do in our
own day
why
should we
worship
God?
Well here
we have a
response
for great
is the
Lord
and greatly
to be
praised.
You see
the people
here
as the
psalmist
is speaking
of they
had a
problem
and it's
not a
new
problem
it's not
a problem
that's
gone
away.
What
was their
problem
what's
the problem
for so
many of
us
today?
Well we
see it
in verse
5.
For all
the gods
of the
peoples
are
worthless
idols.
The
people
have
other
things
they
put
in
place
of
God.
So
many
begin
the
year
with
no
thought
of
God
but
worshipping
the idols
of this
world
self-made
idols.
they
are
worthless.
That's
what the
psalmist
says.
They
feared
their
gods.
It
wasn't a
new
thing.
You
see it
running
throughout
the
scriptures
where
people
have
their
own
gods
and
they
would
seek
to
satisfy
their
gods
offer
sacrifices
to
their
gods
in
the
hope
of
harvests
of
health
of
victories
and
battles
of
all
kinds
of
things
who
would
come
and
worship
their
gods
in
the
hope
that
they
would
cause
things
to
go
well
for
them.
But
it
wasn't
the
case
and
it
will
not
be
the
case
for
us
as
well.
We
are not
to
look
to
the
worthless
idols
of
this
world.
Where
does
our
help
come
from
as
we
go
into
a
new
year?
James
in the
New
Testament
speaks
of it
in this
way.
He
reminds us
where our
help
comes
from.
Every
good
gift,
every
perfect
gift,
it
comes
from
above,
coming
down
from
the
Father
of
light
with
whom
there
is
no
variation
of
shadow
due
to
change,
the
one
who
doesn't
change.
The
psalmist
here is
pointing us
towards
the
true
God.
God
but
the
Lord,
he
says,
he
made
the
heavens.
He
created
all
things.
He
made
all
things
for
his
glory.
He
has
made
us
with
that
purpose,
with
that
cause
in
our
hearts
as well
to be
a
people
who
worship
him.
And
it's
because
splendor
and
majesty,
all
of
these
things,
strength
and
beauty,
they
all
belong
to
him.
And
you
see it
there
in
verse
three
as well.
Declare
his
glory
among
the
nations.
His
marvelous
works
among
all
the
peoples.
His
marvelous
works.
Reasons
cause
to
worship.
His
marvelous
works.
Have
you
seen
his
marvelous
works?
You
have.
We
all
have.
We've
seen
it
in
so
many
different
ways.
You
see it
in so
many
different
situations.
Even
the
little
things.
Little
things that
make you
just look
and wonder
at the
amazing
wonders.
But do
you recognize
it's of
God?
You
think of
a
spider's
web.
And you
see it
with just
a little
mist
on it.
And the
sun
starting to
shine
through.
And you
see the
intricacy
of it.
The
wonder
of it.
The
wonder
of God's
creation.
You
think of
a
snowflake.
How
everyone
is
different.
And if
you look
at it
closely,
even if
you go
under a
microscope
and look
at it,
you see
the
details
in it.
You
think of
the
flowers.
You
think of
the
wonder
of the
sky.
The
sky at
night
with the
moon
and the
stars.
The
enormity
of it.
The
wonder
of God's
creation.
You
look at
yourself.
ourselves.
We
look at
ourselves
and we
see the
intricacies
of our
bodies.
How
fearfully
and
wonderfully
we
are
made.
And
these
are
the
wonders
of
God.
And
then you
look at
the
God
who made
the heavens
and the
earth,
the one
who is
behind
all of
these
things and
the power
that he
has.
and the
wonder
that he
would
remember
us.
The
wonder
that he
would
promise
to be
with us.
The
promise
that he
will never
leave us
or forsake
us.
And the
wonder
of his
grace
and his
mercy.
The
wonder
of his
salvation
for sinners.
The
wonder
of the
cross.
The
wonder
of what
he has
done
for us
there.
As his
son,
our
Lord,
gave his
life
for us.
The
wonder
of God.
The
wonders
that he
has done.
Are they
not cause
for worship?
Are they
not cause
to come
and sing
with praise
to him
the wonders
that he
has done?
And if
we see
the wonders
that he
has done
for us,
the cause
that we
have to
worship
in that,
does it
not then
lead our
hearts
to the
cause
of telling
others?
You see
that run
through this
psalm
as well.
There in
verse 3
it says
to us
declare
his glory
among the
nations,
his marvelous
work,
the wonders
that he
has done.
In
verse
10 it
says the
same thing,
say among
the nations,
the Lord
reigns.
He is
king.
He is
king over
all.
The wonders
that God
has done
for us,
they are
the cause
of our
worship,
and they
are the
cause
to our
mission
as well
to tell
others.
Missions
exist
because
worship
doesn't.
And while
there is
no worship
in the
lives of
those around
us,
it is our
mission
to make
known
the wonders
of the
Lord.
And what
greater way
to make
it known
than to
worship
the Lord,
to sing
to the
Lord.
Somebody
once said
you cannot
worship
God as
you ought
until you
know him
as he
is.
And you
cannot know
the true
God
until you
know him
in his
benefits.
And you
do not
know him
in his
benefits
until you
know him
in the
sacrifice
of his
son,
Jesus
Christ,
who died
in our
place,
that we
might become
the
righteousness
of God
in him.
Our
mission
begins
with
worship
and
worshiping
the
Lord
in the
splendor
of
holiness
and
recognizing
what he
has done
for us.
He has
given us
a new
day.
He has
given us
a new
year,
a time
and a
place
and a
people,
to be
a people
of worship
to him.
So what
is our
goal as
we go
into
2025?
To
please
ourselves
or to
please
him.
May it
be that
we please
him
and do
so by
worshiping
him
in the
right way,
by giving
all praise
and glory
to him.
We have
a call
to this
and we
have a
cause
for this.
It is
the
Lord.
I'll leave
you with
these words
as we
think of
what we
do for
ourselves
or what
we do
for the
Lord.
Dear
Master,
for this
coming
year,
just one
request
I bring.
I do
not pray
for happiness
or any
earthly
thing.
I do
not ask
to understand
the way
thou leadest
me,
but this
I ask,
teach me
to do
the thing
that pleaseth
thee.
I want
to know
thy guiding
voice,
to walk
with thee
each day.
Dear
Master,
make me
swift
to hear
and ready
to obey.
And thus
the year
I now
begin,
a happy
year will
be,
if I am
seeking
just to
do
the thing
that
pleaseth
thee.
What
pleases
the Lord
more than
worshipping
him and
setting him
before us
in all
things and
above
all things?
The Lord
is worthy
of praise.
Let us
sing a
new song
to him.
Let us
pray.
Lord,
our
gracious
God,
we rejoice
in the
hope that
we have
in you,
the hope
and the
wonders that
you have
shown towards
us,
and above
all the
wonders of
your salvation,
that you are
one who has
remembered us,
one who has
done us
good,
and one
who has
promised to
go before
us.
And so,
Lord,
we do
pray that
you will
be a
God who
leads us,
thankful for
the salvation
that we
have in
Christ Jesus,
and thankful
for the
mission that
we have,
to be a
people of
worship and
to be a
people of
showing forth
your praise
to others.
Lord,
may this
be a year
when we
seek to
do the
thing that
pleases
thee.
Lord,
hear our
prayers and
go before
us now,
pardoning our
sin in
Jesus'
name.
Amen.
We're going
to conclude
by singing
these words
that we've
been looking
at in
Psalm 96.
In the
Sing
Psalms
version,
96a,
page
126.
We'll
sing the
first three
stanzas,
verse 1
to 6.
Psalm 96a,
page 126,
the tune is
Effingham.
O sing a
new song to
the Lord,
sing praises to
his name,
and his
salvation day
by day let
all the
earth proclaim.
We stand
to sing to
God's praise.
O sing a
new song to
the Lord,
sing praises
to his
name,
and his
salvation
day by
day let
all the
earth
proclaim.
His
glory
and
his
mighty
peace
to
every
land
declare
!
How great
and
awesome
is
the
Lord
within
the
God's
compare.
name,
and
the
Lord
For
cross
and
word
and
stone,
the
Lord
made
heaven's
night.
Of
power
and
majesty
are
his,
he
dwells
in
glorious
light.
Now may
grace,
mercy,
and peace
from God,
Father,
Son,
and Holy
Spirit rest
upon and
abide with
you all
now and
forevermore.
Amen.
I'll go to
the main
door just
now.